A Special Place in Hell

Why Don’t You Just Adopt?

10.30.2023 - By Meghan Daum & Sarah HaiderPlay

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In this episode Sarah and Meghan consider the ethics of adoption, surrogacy and the future of reproductive technology. They discuss the “Baby Scoop” era, which lasted from just after World War II into the early 1970s, in which millions of unwed mother surrendered their babies to adoption agencies, many of which were profiting from the transaction. They discover that Meghan, who was born the year of the highest number of adoptions, has always knows tons of adoptees and never thought much of it. Sarah, on the other hand, knew very few adoptees. Sarah also reflects on her own primal motherhood instinct and Meghan talks about her volunteer work in the foster care system.  RELEVANT LINKS Meghan worked in the foster care system for a while, and she wrote this essay about it in The New Yorker. Want to hear the whole episode? Upgrade your subscription. HOUSEKEEPING

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